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" Pining after the Snow "

Date & start time:    Sunday 10th March, 2019.    3.20 pm start.

Location of Start :   By the red phone box, Loweswater, Cumbria, Uk. ( NY 143 211 )

Places visited :         Foulsyke, the pine, Pottergill, Whinny Ridding Woods and back.

Walk details :             2.25 miles, 525 feet of ascent, 1 hours 20 mins.

Highest point :          The pine tree on the side of Low Fell, 800 ft above sea level.

Walked with :             Myself and our dogs Dylan and Dougal.

Weather :                    A dry weather window between the showers.

© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Licence number PU 100034184.

 

The morning snow fell "deep and soggy and even" but was followed by rain and a warm breeze which cleared the valley fields by midday.

The dogs needed a walk so I waited till the weather was drier and headed up to what was left of the snow line.

This picture, repeated from the last set I published, sets the scene for the initial weather this morning.

During the next few hours the thaw set in, causing the valley to change colour.

After lunch, chores done, it was pleasant enough to go out for a walk . . . starting at the red phone box !

I thought I may get photos of the lone pine tree in the snow . . . but it was not to be.

This was the Low Fell ridge as I started up the field . . . the pine is the lone tree just over a third of the way up.

I pass Rose Cottage with its dramatic backdrop of snow covered Carling Knott.

The daffodils in the garden are in full bloom this week . . . hopefully the poor weather will not damage them too much.

Searching the head of the valley for a view of Haystacks and Gable.

" Three wheels on my wagon " . . . Gordon's sheep trailer has seen better days.

Godferhead's summer house blends in nicely with the pastel colours of winter.

Behind it are the Scale Hill Cottages, the old Scale Hill Hotel.

Conversely, ahead of me now is the grand house known as Foulsyke.

This was, and still is, one of the major houses of the valley.

In the dip between our house and Foulsyke is an old pond which I always thought was something to do with the water supply to Loweswater lead mine.

On the map it is shown as a fish pond (for the grand house) but the weir that held the water back has been breached and the pond is now overgrown.

Godferhead's newer pond is looking good . . . with its islands designed to allow any aquatic birds to nest undisturbed.

The snow still holds on all the high ground. . . here on the Loweswater fells of Black Crag, Blake and Carling Knott.

Another dip in the ground behind Foulsyke hold a small but natural pond.

Bull rushes and water lilies in the overgrown pool.

A close up of the centre of the pond with the plants already starting to flower.

Scots pine on the lower slopes with misty high fells of Whiteside and Grasmoor in the background.

An old fallen beach trunk has re-sprouted on its upper side into a new tree.

Our passing has been noted . . . by the sheep next to the woodland.

They have gathered themselves into a group on the far side of the field.

Starling Dodd and Great Borne are just visible behind Mellbreak and Hen Comb.

My path climbs ever closer to the lone pine.

The improved weather is just about allowing a meaningful long distance view.

The wider picture of the Buttermere Valley includes Mellbreak this time.

The path up to the tree joins another which has traversed around the fell.

The dogs have been madly running around after the tiny snowballs I threw for them..

Heading "down" the valley, Lorton direction.

The stile on the path has seen better days.

No point in reporting it to the Park authority as this is not "public right of way", just a well used footpath on the open fell.

This stile, a short distance further on, is actually on a public footpath and is in good condition,

even though the Pottergill to Myresyke green dotted route is more fanciful than practical.

A path of sorts leads down through the bracken to the old Pottergill Farm.

The ruin used to be a working farm but closed a considerable number of years ago.

Historic records of childbirth in the valley shows a much higher than normal number of births at this location which implies

that it may have been a place that young women were sent to live out their secret or undesired pregnancies.

To walk back home . . .
I took the path back through . . .
the Whinny Ridding woods.

Dampness on the lens and a darker exposure means that the weather has taken a turn for the worse.

The high fells have gone and the rain has started . . . perhaps the walk was ten minutes too long ?

No need to worry . . . the rain shower has headed away up the valley and,

as luck would have it, my non-waterproof trousers have stayed relatively dry !

In fact within a minute of the last photo the sun has broken through and I really am "home and dry".

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Panasonic Lumix TZ60, or my Panasonic Lumix Gx8 Camera.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . .  a favourable change in the wind direction.

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Previous walk - 5th to 10th March Under Mellbreak

A previous time up here - 4th May 2017 - Darling Fell to home with Trevor & Gill

Next walk - 12th March Storm Gareth blows through